Women’s Movements in South Asian Countries - A 🧵
Movements of women's rights in #SouthAsia can be traced on junctures of striving for justice in social issues & handling external (often post-colonial) influences.
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In #India, it was 1980 when the Mathura rape case propelled an anti-rape feminist-led movement that remains the biggest wave till today.
But the current wave spreads beyond protection against sexual violence, to economic rights and has taken up significant digital space.
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In #Pakistan, Women Action Forum (WAF) remained the face of women’s movement through 1980s & beyond.
A fresh start came about in 2018 when yearly demonstration called ‘Aurat March’ surfaced. Its momentum has equally met with backlash from different segments of society.
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#SriLankan women enjoyed voting rights since 1931. Agnes De Silva was the prominent activist behind winning suffrage rights.
In 1940s & 50s, liberal middle-class women’s groups were actively campaigning, while 1980s saw ‘Women for Peace’ collective against civil war.
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In #Bangladesh, the movement largely centered around urban, professional, middle-class women in 1970s & 80s.
Later, growth of donors & NGOs led it in a different direction. The movement also faces conservative backlash such as the one by Hefazat-e-Islam.
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In #Nepal, a prominent women's rights collective was Nepal Woman Association, under the leadership of Mangala Devi Singh.
Polygamy was outlawed & right to divorce won as a result of women's rights activism.
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